Combined educational device, cabinet, and easel



Feb. 6, 1951 A. M. PHxLLlPsoN ET AL 2,540,344

COMBINED EDUCATIONAL DEVICE, CABINET, AND EASEL 1 l l l 1 l 1 l l l a n n n l Filed Oct. 9, 1948 Patented Feb. 6, 1951 COMBINED EDUCATIONAL DEVICE,

CABINET, AND EASEL Alice May Phillipson, South Gate, Percival M. Niersbach, Huntington Park, and Gail H. Thompson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October 9, 1948, Serial No. 53,642

3 Claims.

Y This invention relates to an article that combines an educational device, a cabinet and an easel, and embodies novel features of construction and arrangement whereby the same may be readily and selectively arranged as an educa-1 tional device for visually demonstrating the size, mass and the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard, or a comparable unit of volume as an easel for classroom use in demonstrating related problems in geometry and as a compact, substantially table-height cabinet for storing, for ready avail-f ability, the elements employed for demonstrations as above.

An object of the present invention is to provide av combined device, of the character indicated, that includes inter-related elements or components adapting said device for quick and easy conversion from one of its forms to another.k

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course ofthe following description. However, the drawings merels7 show and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only. f

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the device of this invention in the compact form it assumes when arranged as a cabinet.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing said device arranged to form a cube to visually demonstrate the characteristics oi a cubical volume.

` Fig. 3 is a similar View showing said device arranged as an easel.

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view as taken on line i-l of Fig. 2.

y Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view as taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary face View of an element of the device and showing an alternate form thereof.

In this application and in the appended claims,

any reference made to a cubic yard and its components, is intended to include other units of volume among English measures and also metric units of volume, such as a cubic meter andy its components.

j Plane geometry, in the main, can be taught by blackboard demonstration and single plane models, since the subject deals with single plane figures. However, the simpler phases of solid geometry, since they deal with tri-planar objects, are not as readily demonstratable in a comparable manner. The vastly greater proportional differences between a linear inch, foot and yard, on one hand, and between a cubic inch, foot andV yard, on the other, are somewhat difficult to grasp by some students, and are made easier to visualize by providing thephysical counterparts for visual comparison. A physical cubic inch and a physical cubic foot are relatively small and are readily housed in any closet. A cubic yard, however, is another matter, its large size making it bulky and space-consuming. A cubic meter, of course, is still larger.

` According to the present invention, a physical cubic yard is provided for classroom demonstration that, when out of use, occupies only one-half the volume of a cubic yard and is, thereby, more compact and readily stored and also adapted for use as an auxiliary table. The device is also made for conversion into an easel adapting the same to classroom use as indicated above The present device comprises, generally, a rigid housing i 8 that is three feet high, three feet wide, and one `and one-half feet deep, an optional pedestal Il elevating said housing from the floor,

casters i2 whereby said housing is easily movable along the floor, side panels I3 that comprise rear closures for the housing when the device is arranged in its closed compact form as a cabinet and comprise coplanar extensions of the side walls Hl of said housing when the device is arranged as an educational device, a top panel I5 movable between a superimposed position upon the top wall l5 of the housing to a position forming an extension thereof, and a front panel Il movable between a position in front of the front wall I8 of the housing to an elevated position thereabove.

The side panels I3 are connected to the rear edges of side walls I4 by hinges i9; the top panel l5 is connected to the rear edge of top wall IS by a hinge 26); and front panel Il`is connected 2.1i; the edge defined by walls i5 and i8 by a hinge The housing It is also provided with a bottom wall 22 serving to mount pedestal l i and the walls of said housing enclose a rearwardly open space 23 which is adapted to be provided with one or more partitions 24 that serve to define one or more housing spaces for drawers 25. Space 23 may be divided in different ways to provide storage for articles of a related nature.

When the above-described device is arranged as .in Fia 2i the device comprises a Gbe,

3 dimension of which is a yard in length and the outer surfaces thereof are provided with markings or lines 25 dividing said surfaces into one foot squares to show, visually that said one yard cube comprises twenty-seven cubicfeet.

In the `closed arrangement of Fig. l, the panel I5 comprises the top of the device and panels I3, while not seen, comprise doors that enclose storage space 23. Suitable latches may hold .said

doors closed. The compact cabinet may thusfbe used as a table or may be tucked away against a wall since its depth dimension is vonly 'one Zand one-half feet.

In the arrangement of Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the-side panels l5 are swung out to align with the respective walls Ll so that sides of the same width as front wall Il, are formed, and the top panel l5 is also swung out to rest upon the upper edges of panels i3 to form a top ofthe same depth asthe width of said front wall, a cube, thereby being formed for-the purposes above outlined. It should be understood that suitable stops, such asmovement-limiting chains, maybe provided to limit the outwardrnovement of panels i3.

In .the arrangement of Fig. 3, the panel l1 lis swung'up and then'to the rear, as shown, andthe panel I5 employed as a prop to support the rearwardly angled panel i? in the manner of an easel. It will 'be noted that the initially inner surface 21 of vthelatter panel is now exposed and the same may be variously treated. As in Fig. 3, surface His-coated or lined with a ilocculent materialthat is especially formed withiine upstanding bers that comprise a nap, the iibersof which interlace with similar fibers of a like-material lin- I ing'one or both sides of articles such asshosvn at 28. 'Suoharticles may visuallydemonstrate geometricalproblerns. By simply placing the coinponents of such articles on surface 2l, assurance is-had that the same will tick inpositlon even when said surface closely approaches vertical. The articles are removed by a, simple lift, said surface 2 being unaiected as Ait would be if adhesives or pins were used. Besides, the work of the `teacheris rendered easier by the facility with which these articles can be applied and removed.

Another form of treatmentfor surface 21 is shown in Fig. 6 wherein a slate or blackboard surface is providedand-.chart or graph ordinateand abscissa lines placed thereon substantially as shown at 2S.

The panel iii-the one having markings 25 thereonmay be employed as an easel by supporting the same in an angular position similar to thatof panel 1"?. The initial under surface of panel t5 may be provided with a Vflocculent cover or lining similar to that on surface 2"! to adapt panel l5 for such use.

Thus, the present device comprises a convertible device embodying elements that are so interrelated that they co-act to selectively provide the three forms of the device above described.

While the invention that has been illustrated and described is new regarded as the preferred embodiment construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modiiications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having'thus described our invention, what we claim and desire vto secure by Letters Patent is:

.1. :A'combined educational device of the character desoribedfcomprising a nollowhousing having a square front wall and similar side and top rectangular walls, a top panel foldable between a position superimposed on the top wall and a position forming an extension thereof, side panels foldablebetweena position enclosing .the hollow of fthe fhousing and a position forming ran extension of the side walls, the latter panels, when exvtended, supporting the top panel when extended, and a panel forward of the front wall of the housing vand foldable between a position covering said front wall and a position forming an upper rearwardly sloped extension of said front Wall.

2. A combined educational device of the character described comprising a hollow housing having a square front wall and similar side and top rectangular Walls, a top panel foldable between a position superimposed on the top wall and a position 'forming an extension -thereoLside panels folclable between 4a position enclosing the -hollow of the'housin'g and azposition forming an extension :of :thefsde walls, the .latter panels, when extended, supporting the top panel when extended, and a .panel forward of the front wall .of the housing and 'foldable between `a `position covering said front wall and .a position forming an upper rearwardly 'sloped extension of said front wall, said toppanelbeing adapted also to be `placed in anintermediate position to comprise a prop supporting said 4rearwardly sloped extension of the front wall.

i3. A combined .educational device-of the characterrdescribed comprising a hollow Vhousing having a lsquare front wall and similar'side andtop rectangular zwalls, a top panel foldable between a position superimposed on the top vwall and a position forming an extension thereof, side panels foldable between a position enclosing the hollow of thehousing and a position forming anextension ofthe side walls, the latter panels, when extended, supporting the top panel when extended, a panel forward of the front wall of the housing and .foldable between a position covering .said front Lwall and a positionforming an upperrearwardly sloped extension of said front wall, said top -panelbeing adapted also to be placed in an intermediate position to comprise a prop supportl ing saidrearwardly sloped extension of the front wall,.a'.fiocculent cover for the initially inner sur- I face of said front panel .for receiving .and holding .similarly covered articles, when said front panel is inthe'extended sloping position.

.ALICEMAY-PHILLIPSON.

PERCIVAL M. NIERSBACH. GAIL H. THOMPSON.

.REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 1 nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

